Leaving Munich in the morning, our short walk to Munich Hapbanhoff was easy. We left from track 27 on time to Prague. Told by the conductor to occupy carriages 1-4 as in fact the train would to split in two further on in the journey and ours would go to Prague and the other train to another destination. Luckily we happened to ask about our train conductor! 




Enjoying the scenery, then half way through our 5 hour journey, a random message came up that we were to disembark the train, get on a bus to another train as the tracks were shut down. This was very strange but well organised. We had to get off the train literally onto the train tracks and roll suitcase across them, meanwhile helping others who did not understand English and boarded random buses in the middle of nowhere to another station, re-boarded the train to Prague. So weird.  

We finally arrived in Praha at the huge train station.  Make sure you look out for the famous statue of Sir Nicholas Winton.  This amazing man, at the dawn of World War 11, organised safe passage 669 Jewish children from Czechoslovakia to England. The evacuees, later known as "Winton's Children," knew little about their rescuer until the 1980s, when his work finally came to light. Many of these children never knew their parents and most lost them during the war.  He was knighted in 2003 and died  at the age of 106.



Our Air BnB  was about 900m and if we had understood the trams we would have caught one. The trams are easy to use but you need to understand the tickets. There are a number of tickets based on time rather than distance. 30 minute. 1 hour. 24 hours etc. You also need a discount ticket for each piece of large luggage. Apparently the inspectors on the trams are ruthless and will fine you. No one tells you about the luggage ticket! Once you get your ticket from a newspaper stand, ticket office or yellow box you board the tram and there is a box to the validate the ticket on the tram.  Look for the arrow at the bottom and insert your ticket in that end. It will click and stamp your ticket.



Arriving at our beautiful air BnB opposite a stunning school we climbed 4 storeys of circular stairs. (sorry hubby) This would have to be the best air bnb we have stayed in ever.  

View of an old school outside our window.

Off we went that evening down to old town hall square. Many many tour groups surrounded us and now we knew why. Prague has so much to see and offer. 

Day 1

While it would be easy to do it yourself the history behind Prague would be lost. Not loving tour groups (too intolerant) we decided to take to plunge and do on as the self guided tours we researched were very complicated.   Booking that night with New Europe free tour we decided we had nothing to lose. Meeting at the old town hall square at 10:00am thinking it was to be a group of up to 10 we were mistaken with a group of about 40. It was too big but was manageable. 




The tour guide, Becca was very easy to listen too, light hearted and very interesting. We followed the path from old town square up to Wensalas Square or long ugly rectangle, all the while listening to stories of kings rulers, house numbers and everyday life. We looked at architecture and ways of life. 



After lunch, where you didn’t have to buy anything, we continued up to the Jewish quarter. 



This is was very fascinating and we really wouldn’t have appreciated it unless we had a tour guide. While we didn’t have time to enter any buildings we vowed to come back to certain places. We ended our tour at the Rodolfium Theatre. We were not obliged to pay anything but she was so lovely we paid 200 chz ($10AUS) which seemed to be the average. As the tour was so excellent we decided to back up the tour with the Prague castle tour at 2:30pm This was a paid tour, but super cheap. We went off the have a quick drink and free toilet stop at KFC and returned back on time. 

This time we had another tour guide. Unfortunately they had over booked the tour and there were 77 in the group! It was ridiculous and the tour said he couldn't really manage it and he offered money back if we wanted but we all decided to stay. He was brilliant and so was the group. The tour guide had a huge voice and was very experienced. He mentioned that he was terrified but made it work. We needed a 30 minute tram ticket as well. He explained the whole ticket system and how it worked as well.  
First he took us to Mastre gardens which was beautiful then a quick number 22 tram up to the Castle. No entry ticket was required for any of the castle tour and he recommended against buying any other tickets at all. We walked through security in time for changing of the guard at 4pm. 




They change every hour and was worth the watch. We walked on under the arch to learn about the different courtyards and of course the breath taking St Vitus Cathedral. 



Truely amazing, even with hundreds of people in there and so many tour groups at once. Very organised. On we went to learn about the different architecture. Ian described the different eras of building like a cake; creamy, delicious icing cake buildings were romanticism. The crispy burnt buildings... gothic. Somewhere in between neogothic. Such a great description!



We ended our 3 hour tour at the royal garden overlooking the city. We then backtracked to golden lane which is free after 4pm. It is certainly not worth the extra money and is a quick walk through looking at old done up servant houses now tourist shops. Following the hill back down we trundled home very exhausted but thrilled with what we had done. Both tours were well worth it.  We certainly would not have learnt so much or seen so much in the short time we had.  

Day 2

The best time in Prague is up with the sun.  No tourists and so beautifully quiet. Up at 6:30am with the sun coming up as we walked to Charle’s bridge where we watched the sun rise with a few tourists, runners, and of course Asian brides! It was rather cool for a spring day. 




After Breakfast  we had booked Old Town Hall passes online the night before for 210chz. This included going up to the top, a free one hour tour including the underground 600 year old ground floor which is now actually below ground. 




The elevator up was quick at 9:00am and the view amazing. 



We then returned for our 10:00am tour. The tour guide took us through the stately rooms and then underground. This was amazing to see and learn about life 600 years ago.  Very reasonably priced tour.




After our tour we walked back to the Jewish quarter to Pinkas synagogue. After lining up we realised it was cash only so had to leave to get cash. 




Being closer to the Maisel synagogue we entered here to get our Jewish Museum pass where they took cards! We looked at the 600 jewish artifacts hidden during world war 11 and then onto Pinkas synagogue. This is the highlight of the Jewish quarter by far. 

Firstly you enter to see the 75000 inscribed names of Jews murdered during the war. Up to the second floor where you see children’s paintings from Terezin Concentration Camps who were all murdered. Their pictures saved by a young girl who hid them in a suitcase to later survive and tell her story. 


Back down you enter the Jewish cemetery where  about 100000 bodies are layered all on top of each other. The stone heads tilting different ways in a almost movie set atmosphere. 



This was certainly worth the ticket. We didn’t visit the other museums included in the ticket.

Retiring to our apartment rather weary, we felt we had done Prague proud.

Restaurants and Roof top bars

While we were only here 3 nights we had the advantage of going to places recommended by a local.

Restaurants

Krusta bakery, right next to our room.  Fabulous coffee and breakfast with a New Zealand/Chez girl working there.  




Brewery

Opposite our air bnb on Vodalkya street is a very old brewery called Prnvi Novomestsky Restaurancni Great authentic non touristy place with great beer and food. $50 for the two of us including dessert and drinks and coffee. Great value




Ceske Kucyna

A replica communist style restaurant in Old Town. near the Havel markets opposite an old yellowish church twhich is more of a fun, weird, cheap experience. Maybe a bit morbid. 



You walk in, grab a tray and a ticket. Walk up and choose your food where the communist faced lady stamps your card (all a bit grumpy here) next get you drinks and eat. Delicious goulash and other Prague basics. Once finished take your ticket to the exit where you pay in cash. It cost us a total of $20 for two and was a bit of fun. The food was wonderful 

T-Anker

An amazing non touristy roof top bar and restaurant overlooking Lady of Tyn and roof tops. A very unpretentious good value terrace. Hard to get a seat on the edge but all tables have a decent view. Drinks were generous and reasonably priced. The food was like pub food at around $18-25 a large meal. A beautiful place to relax on a spring afternoon and evening watching the sun set.  The directions are tricky.  Enter under the main entrance to the department store KOTVA.  Go left past the main entrance, on the outside and you will see the elevator entrance.  Go to the 5th floor. 

Shopping

Shopping is disappointing in Prague.All the usual players are here, like H & M etc.   I came to Prague hoping to buy a garnet ring, as that is what they are famous for.. After researching I located Granat Turnov, a reputable company. There are heaps of garnet shops.  The stirling silver rings are around $200 and very old fashioned and not a lot of creativity. Very overpriced and I visited a fair few.  Deciding not to purchase we also looked at the bohemian crystal. It is also very old fashioned and ugly as well. So really we only bought a few crappy souvenirs like a beer stein... lol and clothes from H & M and Zara as it was 30 degrees and was supposed to be 20! 

We really felt we had achieved a lot in three days after so much research and complicated self guided tours we thought we could manage.  Lucky for the free tours as we certainly would not have seen that much.  A stunning, touris, heaving city.